“Old Sir, First Miss’s clothes are too long and won’t fit Young Miss. It seems like she can’t wear it.” Mo He was frightened because Mo Xuetong almost fell. She hurried up and helped Mo Xuetong steady herself. She squatted down at Mo Xuetong’s feet and gestured at the hems, pulling out a large swath of cloth and said awkwardly.
Mo Huawen’s smile disappeared when he saw that the clothes were obviously one size bigger. He pursed his thin lips.
“Don’t worry. Eldest Sister means well and has already sent these clothes three or four times. If I don’t accept it, she will get angry. Since I can’t wear it now, I will wear it in the future when I can.” Mo Xuetong seemed as if she did not feel anything and smiled. She flicked the sleeves and walked on her toes, spinning around. Then, she laughed and said, “Father, does Tong’er look good wearing Eldest Sister’s clothes?”
The main daughter had to wear the daughter of a concubine, and looked so happy even when the clothes did not fit. Mo Huawen’s smile faded completely. He started to feel a rush of anger. Tong’er was his main daughter! She was his only daughter with her! He only felt a pain in his heart when he looked at her happy and naive smile.
He forced his anger down. This was not the place to get angry!
“First Miss’ clothes are so pretty. Miss, I will keep them for you first. It will fit just right when you grow taller. Since we just came back from Cloud City and don’t have many clothes, you will look presentable even if you go to the palace banquet with this set of clothes.” Mo Lan seemed as if she did not see the brewing anger in Mo Huawen’s eyes. She helped Mo Xuetong to smooth out the tiny creases on the clothes carefully.
She even told Mo He not to dirty the clothes and ruin First Miss’ good intentions.
Mo He was unhappy when she heard that. She pulled Mo Xuetong into the room and insisted on her changing into a different set of clothes so that they won’t dirty First Miss’ beautiful clothing. She moved a little too roughly and almost caused Mo Xuetong to fall. Mo Xuetong had barely managed to find her balance before she fell onto Mo Lan. The three of them pulled on each other and fell into a laughing heap on the ground as if they did not mind at all.
However, even if his daughter did not mind, he did.
Mo Huawen’s anger grew when he saw that her daughter had graciously not said anything. He stood up and pulled Mo Xuetong up as she was being tangled up in the dress and could not get up for the moment. He tempered down his anger and his eyes shone with love. “Tong’er, don’t accept the clothing your Eldest Sister sends in the future. Her clothes don’t fit you. If you need anything, Father will get them for you. You are the Main Miss of the Mo Manor. How can you wear Min’er’s old clothes?”
“These are not Eldest Sister’s old clothes. Father, look at how new they are. Even the hemming is exquisite. One look at it and you’d know that they are good clothes Eldest Sister had made. Eldest Sister said so too. She must be thinking that I still don’t have winter clothes and sent them especially. I have to thank her well when I get home.” Mo Xuetong’s face was flushed because of her laughing with Mo Lan and Mo He. She pointed at the hem of the clothes with bright eyes and showed them to Mo Huawen.
Mo Huawen did not know anything about household chores like hemming. His eyes landed on that patch on the skirt and his face darkened. He looked at how his daughter presented the clothes as if she was showing him a treasure. Her innocent eyes shone with sincerity and her smile grew wider. Mo Huawen almost could not stop himself from exploding in anger. He had not expected that his eldest daughter whom he had always been pleased with was so mean.
Earlier, he was still able to listen to Mo Xuemin’s explanation regarding the incident in the palace. However, he was only left with disappointment and annoyance now.
His eyes landed on the grease stain in a hidden corner of the dress and a flash of sharpness appeared in his gentle eyes. He frowned and said, “Tong’er change out of clothes first. I have something to tell you.”
“Oh, alright!” Mo Lan and Mo He helped her into the room to change out of the ill-fitting dress when Mo Xuetong saw that Mo Huawen seemed to really have something to say. She smoothed down her clothes and walked out of the room wearing her usual clothes that were neither old or new. They were not luxurious and seemed rather plain, making her face look pale. Mo Huawen grew more and more uncomfortable as he thought about the dress she wore earlier which was luxurious but ill-fitting.
He frowned even deeper!
“Father, what is it? Did I upset you? Father, tell me and I will work on changing.” Mo Xuetong saw his expression and smiled lightly. She walked over and held his hand, cocking her head cutely with a smile.
“No, Tong’er is Father’s most obedient daughter. How could you make me mad? Don’t accept your Eldest Sister’s clothing anymore in the future. Your body types are different, so how could she give you clothes that fit her? It looks like the cloth that your Eldest Sister sent are quite useful. Why don’t you take them and make some new clothes.” Mo Huawen flipped through the bolts of cloths on the table, his expression softened. The material of the cloths was rather good. It seemed that Mo Xuemin had not meant to cheat Xuetong and sent her old clothing pretending they were new.
“Father, I don’t need these bolts of cloth. Eldest Sister can have it. I like the clothes that Eldest Sister sent earlier and not these.” Mo Xuetong bit her lips and spoke despondently as she looked at the bolts of cloth. A flash of sadness crossed her lively eyes. She turned around and buried her face in Mo Huawen’s chest.
“Why don’t you like them? The colors look festive and are very beautiful. They are considered new and good bolts of this year. They will only be better and not worse than the cloth Min’er uses to make her clothes.” Mo Huawen patted her daughter in confusion.
“Tong’er doesn’t like them.” Mo Xuetong said in a muffled voice from her spot in Mo Huawen’s chest.
He could sense her slender shoulders shaking as if she was crying.
Mo Huawen pushed Mo Xuetong away from herself to discover that her little face which had been flushed earlier was now filled with tears. He asked worriedly, “What is it Tong’er, are you feeling unwell?”
“Father, it’s not that…Tong’er misses mother. Tong’er misses mom!” Mo Xuetong bit her lips and looked at Mo Huawen tearily. She wanted to force down the sadness she felt but could not. She was truly not acting. She looked at the luxurious and beautiful robes and her tears flowed. She sobbed and gulped, only knowing how to say those words. She flung herself into Mo Huawen’s arms and cried silently, not saying another word.
“Tong’er, Tong’er…”Mo Huawen felt terrible when he saw how upset his daughter was. She was so upset she could not even speak. Mo Huawen hugged Mo Xuetong’s slightly trembling body and comforted her worriedly.
“Old Sir, Miss is like this because, because…”Mo He stuttered, wanting to say something. However, Mo Lan tugged on her forcefully and she almost fell.
“Speak, what is the reason?” Mo Huawen glared at Mo He. A flash of anger ran through his eyes.
“Old Sir!” Mo He shook in fright and knelt down.
“Speak!”
“Old Sir, these bolts of cloth are so brightly colored. They are bright red and green. How can Young Miss wear them? Madam just passed away for less than two years and Young Miss is still grieving…” Mo He did not dare to hide anything when she saw how angry Mo Huawen was. She shuddered and spoke truthfully.
Mo Xuetong heard what Mo He said clearly. She could not suppress the sadness in her heart. She tugged on Mo Huawen’s clothes and sobbed, “Father, Tong’er misses mother!”
Mo Huawen did not think that his daughter would suddenly think of Luo Xia when she saw such colorful bolts of cloth. His heart twinged. That beautiful and gentle woman who was like poetry and painting had made his heart beat wildly. She had taught him love and sorrows. Even so, he was not willing to upset her. Her daughter was naturally his most doted on the daughter.
Mo Huawen looked at how Mo Xuetong’s thin shoulders shook as she cried and his eyes swept past the cloth on the table. He could not bear his anger anymore and green veins twitched wildly on his forehead. He did not care that he was in the Fu General Manor. He yelled angrily at the servant standing by the side who dazed and surprised by Mo Xuetong’s crying, “What kinds of things have you sent here. How dare you make Third Miss unhappy. Throw everything out!”
“Yes!” The servant that Mo Xuemin sent did not dare to say anything else. The two servants quickly took away the clothes and cloth. When they saw how their master glared at them angrily, they hurriedly took the cloth and clothes and rushed out. They dropped the cloths at their feet and a servant who had not managed to keep her balance fell down.
“What’s the matter? Why are you throwing out perfectly fine clothes and cloth?” A gentle voice could suddenly be heard outside. A smiling face appeared at the door. She looked gentle and her maid helped the servant up so that she would not trip over her mistress. Then, she also stopped the servant who had ran out in a fluster after being scolded.
The young lady who walked in smiled graciously. However, she was startled when she saw Mo Huawen and she looked shy. She did not expect that Mo Xuetong would have a man over. IT was not right for her to enter or to leave. She flushed red and was very awkward.
Mo Huawen felt that it was awkward too when he saw the woman who had suddenly appeared. He looked up to see that the young lady was the one he had knocked into last time. He did not know what her relationship with the Luo Manor was. Looking at her dressing, she was still an unmarried young lady. He could not guess her identity. He saw that she was hanging awkwardly between entering and not. One of her foot was already inside the threshold, but she hung her head shyly when she saw him. He could tell that she was a gentle and polite young woman from a noble family.
“Father, this is an aunt.” Mo Xuetong lifted her head from Mo Huawen’s embrace. She wiped her tears hurriedly when she saw Xu Yan and smiled, trying to break the ice between the two.
“Greetings, Brother-in-law!” Xu Yan had entered the threshold and it was impossible for her to leave now. She stepped forward graciously and curtsied to Mo Huawen.
That must be Luo Xia’s younger cousin then!
Mo Huawen returned the greeting with a bow.
“Aunt, come sit here. Father is here to visit Tong’er. He wanted to make Tong’er some clothes but had startled you.” Mo Xuetong pulled Xu Yan over warmly and made her sit on a carved circular stool. Mo Lan quickly left and brought two cups of tea over. Mo Huawen’s cup had already cooled, so she served him a new cup of tea.
Mo Huawen did not leave immediately. Even though it was inappropriate for him to enter the inner rooms of the Luo Manor, but he had come especially to visit his daughter. Old Madam Xu did not say anything, and as such, no one else would. Furthermore, he had not gone anywhere else when he visited and only went to Mo Xuetong’s courtyard. As such, it was not too impolite.
“Since Tong’er wants to make clothes, why are you throwing the bolts of cloth out, and also these clothing?” Xu Yan covered her mouth as she smiled with confusion.
The servants had dragged the clothes and cloth out earlier. It was obvious that they had been scolded. She had felt that there was something odd about the matter. However, it was after all, some other family’s matters. She looked at Mo Huawen’s face secretly and felt that this cousin was charming in his gentleness and grace. She could not help but blush and look down.
She had come over intentionally. Ever since she bumped into Mo Huawen that day and heard what Mo Lan said, she felt that this cousin-in-law loved her cousin deeply. It has already been more than a year since her cousin passed away and he had yet to take another wife. Actually, there was a three-year restriction on children when their parents passed away. But when one’s wife passed on, the restrictions on husbands were not as strict. It was alright if he took another wife after a year.
After all, there were not as many restrictions on men as women. Furthermore, the Old Madam of Mo Manor had passed away at a young age. There was not even a proper matriarch in the family. Many sympathised with Mo Huawen, and also admired him. Furthermore, he was extremely handsome and talented. (Mo Lan had said this espeically and she had received affirmatives from the maids that Mo Xuetong brought with her.) As such, it was easy to like such a person.
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